In Company with Family 2021

  How did it get to be late so soon?

It's night before its afternoon.

December is here before it's June.

My goodness how the time has flown.

How did it get so late so soon?

Dr. Suess  

Thanks to all the women and men in the health community who worked tirelessly to save lives, so families and friends could once again be together for the holidays in 2021. 

Our spring began as fall ended with yard clean up, rains, and damaging hail storms. Jack fell down and rather than break his crown he busted his ribs, and we discovered the rush of adrenaline when 911 is called for a loved one. 

By June and two vaccines we felt our feet on the ground and moving along with life, slower than the years before but moving ahead. Murphy entered our lives on May 1 and we felt younger and laughed harder than we have in years. 

The beauty of this puppy is that he MUST walk daily or we end up playing ball for hours on end toward evening, when all we really want to do is sit and read, or sit and watch television. So, Jack walks him every morning that the weather allows. No rain since October and warm temperatures have kept Jack walking and getting in better shape than before.  So much to be thankful for, and so much more fun than a nagging wife. I walk the afternoon shift when Murphy is slightly worn down, but I'm not as faithful as Jack.  

Letty, Katy, Shaun, and Two Bit; Isaac, Ann, Mike and Jack 

 In August our sons arranged for a family gathering at a vacation rental home on Lake Eufaula, Oklahoma. It was the first time all three of our children and their families gathered together with us in several years, and they were happy. They laughed together and at each other, they fished, told stories, stayed up late and had fun. Our hearts were filled with thanks to God that we had built a strong blended family. Mike, Ann, and son Isaac live in Dodgeville, Wisconsin. Katy and Shaun Bledsoe live in Oklahoma City with our two grand dogs, Two Bit, and Hope. We love Hope. Matthew divides his time between New York City and South Florida.  They are each healthy, happy, and have terrific careers. 

Letty, Katy, Matthew, Isaac, Ann, Mike, and Jack

In January Mike celebrated his 50th birthday, and in September Katy celebrated her 50th birthday. She and Shaun traveled to Savannah, Georgia to make it memorable. She succeeded in twisting her ankle in the sand....and making it memorable.  

Matt will celebrate that number in 2023. 

On our way to Mineral Point and Dodgeville, Wisconsin we stopped to spend the night in Omaha with our niece Jennifer Gatlin and her family.  The house was filled with love, children, teens, four adult nieces, husbands, two dogs, and one uncle and aunt. When the Watt family gathers there is always food and fun, and her charcuterie board was a delicious treat. Grilled burgers and hot dogs reminded us of years long ago when we gathered at grandma's place.   

How do you explain how meeting your adult nieces when you remember them as tiny babies? They are wives and mothers now; artists, career women, and wonderful women who make the word a better place to live. 

We drove east and north the next day and watched the warm sun turn to gray, cloudy skies that spewed snow on us for the next four days. A Wisconsin winter blast. 

The next day we arrived in Mineral Point, Wisconsin and stayed at a boutique hotel, The Mineral Point Hotel, in 1857 as the William Lanyon Building and on the National Register of Historic Places.  The black and white flocked wall paper brought back memories of the old Country Club's elegance.

Mike, Ann, and Isaac joined us the first night for a cold snowy stroll around the quaint town and then enjoyed a delicious meal at their favorite restaurant, Popolo, and everybody else's favorite because the next night we wanted to eat there but the waiting list was too long.

Jack and I awoke each morning and walked to either the Cafe 43 or the Red Rooster for a yummy breakfast.  The kids, who live up the road in Dodgeville, joined us for most meals and shopping in the arts district. One night we ate at the Midway Grill at the Bowling Alley, located mid-way between Mineral Point and Dodgeville. We had so much fun making memories, thank you Mike and Isaac for throwing the ball backwards and creating an uproar of activity for the bowling alley.  

Home Again, Home Again, jiggery jig...

Thanksgiving was quiet and thoughtful. Jack and I cooked a full meal that we shared with my sister, Jonya, and her husband Bill. But Jack's birthday the 28 of November was anything but quiet.  

We invited neighbors and family for a come and go birthday celebration and of course, no pictures. We spent hours sharing stories, eating, and opening gifts. It's always fun to put names with faces when meeting friends and families.

Murphy didn't get his own Christmas tree, but he managed to keep us to small pencil tree with decorations starting up over the swishing tail line to protect the red bulbs. 

  

I turned 70 again for the fourth time. Each birthday gets sweeter.

Joan invited me to play golf on my fourth 70th birthday to celebrate the day and date. How to dress for 70 degrees in December in Oklahoma was a conundrum. 

Thanks friends for all of your love and support this year.  

We will end the old and begin the new with our large family "Dirty Santa" on January 1.  

How did it get late, so soon?

PS. If you have already received this story please excuse my mistake, but I think the April Fool Monkey jumped on my posting. 

I am closing the door on 2021...

Opening our eyes to 2022..